Grading machine



I Feb. 8,1938.

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GRADING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I Filed Aug. 14, 1936 [ITX/EITEUY:

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Patented Feb. 8, 1938 UNiTED STATES PATENT OFFICE GRADING MACHINE Application August 14,

11 Claims.

This invention relates to grading machines and particularly to machines for grading died out pieces of leather used in shoe making, and similar blanks, as by evening or marking the blanks,

5 or both, in accordance with the thickness of the thinnest part thereof.

Although not limited thereto, the invention is particularly applicable to the well-known Nichols grading machines, and will be described in connection with a grading machine of the general type shown inthe Nichols Patent No. 1,130,321.

An important object of the invention is to provide automatic mechanism for lifting the feed roller at the delivery end of the machine, which also constitutes the gauge roller in the case of a skiving (evening or fieshing) machine, thereby relieving the blank of the duty of lifting the feed roller as it has heretofore been obliged to do.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel adjustable and non-rotatable blank sup port opposed to said roller.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate such parts of a Nichols grading machine as are necessary to an understanding of the present invention,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation partly in section of a grading machine particularly adapted to fleshing and embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear end elevation, partly broken away and partly in section, of the machine shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3--3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a detail in plan view of the rigid supporting bar and associated parts hereinafter described; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view, similar to Fig. 3, showing the application of the invention to an evening machine.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 4, the machine has 40 the usual measuring or detecting rolls l and H (Fig. 1) by which the blanks are fed forwardly one by one toward the marking wheel l2 and then to the skiving knife I 3. During the passage of each blank between the measuring rolls I0 and H the thickness grade of the blank, which is established by the thickness of the thinnest part of the blank,v or of that area of the blank which it is desired to measure, is detected, the lower roll It being caused to move up and down in response to variations in thickness of the blank. The lower roll ll acts through the usual setting mechanism to adjust the transverse slide bar Hi, to which are fixed the usual inclined or wedge-like abutments 52 (Fig. 2). The endwise adjustment of the slide bar 14 positions the abut- 1936, Serial No. 96,072

ments so as to regulate the action of the skiving mechanism in accordance with the thickness grade of the blank, as determined by the detecting means (measuring rolls), and also acts through the usual. mechanism to adjust the marking wheel l2 in accordance with said thickness grade.

The frame of the machine may have the usual table or shelf I8 on which the blanks are automatically and successively fed forward from the bottom of a stack S to the continuously rotating measuring rolls l0 and H. The upper roll I!) is journaled in normally fixed bearing boxes and is continuously driven through gearing by the continuously rotating main drive shaft l5, and the lower roll H is geared to and driven by the upper roll In.

Each blank is fed forward by the rolls l0 and H into position between a presser bar [6 and a continuously traveling blank propelling carrier or feed chain l1.

As the leading end of each blank emerges from between the measuring rolls Ill and II it operates the usual trip (not shown) to start the effective measuring action of the rolls I 0 and II and preserve the measurement of the thinnest spot detected, by adjusting the slide bar [4 and consequently adjusting the abutments 52 crosswise of the machine and rotatively adjusting the marking wheel l2 in accordance with the measurement of the thinnest part of the blank as determined by the measuring rolls. As each blank is fed forward on shelf [8 it is fed under the usual gate 25, which is raised to admit the blank and then lowered to rest on top of the passing blank. When the rear or trailing end of the blank passes out from under the gate, the gate falls to the shelf l8 and acts through the usual mechanism to stop the measuring action and lock the usual setting devices in their final position of adjustment.

As the forward or advance end of the blank approaches the marking wheel it engages and depresses the usual trip 2| (Figs. 1 and 3) and acts through the usual mechanism to occasion a single complete revolution of the gear 22, which is normally at rest. The gear 22 acts through the usual train of gears 23 to impart a single complete revolution of the gear 24 fast on shaft 25. Shaft 25 carries the usual cam (not shown) and when thus rotated the cam raises and then releases the plunger 26 (Figs. 1 and 2) which carries the marking wheel l2 whereupon the plunger 25 and wheel I2 are forcibly thrown downwardly by the usual spring 21 to cause the Heretofore the gauge roller above th-e skiving knife, which is also a feed roller, was required to be lifted by the leading edge of the advancing blank until it was arrested by the abutments, which had already been adjusted in accordance with the thickness measurement of the thinnest spot as found by the detecting rolls. This gauge and. feed roller has usually been constructed as a comparatively heavy solid metal roller, and the weight of the roller, to which must be added the weight of the heavy gear 32 affixed thereto, has

been found objectionable in that it caused the.

forward end of the-blank, especially if the'blank were soft or spongy, to be nipped or disfigured; that is the entering edge of the blank would be crushed or pressed down by the weight of the roller and gear and the knife would momentarily gouge or cut deeper into the blank at the start of the skiving operation than it would after the forward end of the blank had passed the cutting edge of the knife. This objectionable action was presumably'due to the weight and inertia of the roller *andits gear and was more pronounced when the blank was soft and flexible than when it" was harder and more rigid, but in all cases it was apt to occur to some extent.

'A principal object of the present inventionis to provide means automatically to lift the gauge roller and its gear to permit the forward end of the blank to move into proper position in the skiving mechanism without being subjected to the duty of lifting the roller. The gauge roller 28, 29, which is also a single upper feed roller for propelling the blanks past the knife 13, is lighter than heretofore,'the core 28 being constructed of a hollow tubular metal cylinder. The ends of the cylinder28arejournaled in bearing boxes 30 which slide vertically in Ways 3| provided at opposite sides of the frame of the machine, and on one end of the roller shaft, outside of the frame, is fixed a gear'32, which is continuously driven by the usual gear 33, which in turn is continuously driven by the usual'gear 34 fast on themain driving shaft i 5. 0n the intermediate part of the hollow cylinder 28 between, its ends is secured, by cement or otherwise, a cylindrical cover or sheath 29 of rubber or other yielding resilient material.

Directly beneath the roller 28, 29, and parallel therewith, is a rigid non-rotating supporting bar 35, preferably of hardened steel, providing a smooth surface upon which the blanks slide in their movement against the skiving knife [3 as they are fed forward by the roller 28, 29. The bar 35 is fastened near its ends by means of screws 38 (Figs. 2, 3, and 4) to a block of metal 38 which is, to all intents and purposes, a separately adjustable section or extension of the usual bed so [as to swing on-ahorizontal axis. A pair of springs 62 (Fig.4) disposed between the block 36 and the end of the main bed 31 yieldingly urge the block away from the bed and hold the arms 39 against the upper ends of the posts 42. These springs are housed in recesses on the inner sideof block 36. Near the outer extremity of each arm 39, and upon the under side thereof, is provided a partly spherical socket 4! within which is seated the rounded upper end of a vertical post 42. The lower end of each post is threaded and occupies a threaded aperture in a crossbar 43, which is a rigid part of the machine frame. Fixed to each post 42 is a worm gear 44 engaging a worm 45 fast on a transverse shaft 36 journaled in bearings on the frame of the machine. One end of shaft 36 extends outwardly beyond the frame and has fixed thereon a hand wheel 46 (Fig. 2)

by means of which it is manually rotated thereby to adjust the posts 42 vertically. Endwise move ment of the shaft 3V5 is prevented by the hand wheel 46 at one end a collar 41 fixed to the opposite end.

Near-its middle the adjustable extension block 36 is provided with a threaded bore. extending therethrough from top to bottom and within. this threaded bore is a'screw 48 (Figs, 2 and 4) whose upper end abuts against the under side of the bar 35 at'a point midway between the two screws 38 and'opposite the middle of the roller 28, 29.

As each blank reaches and is engaged by the feed and gauge roller 28, 29, it is slid forwardly on the supporting bar 35 and against the cutting edge of the knife 13 which skives off a slice or shaving of uniform thickness from. the underside of the blank, which is the flesh side. The thickness of this'skiving may be varied by adjusting the bar 35 toward or-away from the knife by means of the hand wheel 46. V The adjustable abutments' 52 on slide bar l ihave already been adjusted 'bythe detecting means to limit theextent of the movement of separation of the roller 28, 29, from the skiving knife, to accord. with the thickness of the thinnest spot found by the detecting means. Consequently the roller will at all times maintain the required pressure on the blank to insure proper fleshing. When the roller encounters thicker areas of theblank the resilient cover 29 will yield to permit the blank to pass without affecting the position of the rigid supporting bar 35 or the depth-of the skiving.

Since all blanks move along a path substantially in the median line of the machine, the middle part of, the bar 35 will be subjeetedto the greatest wear. To compensate forthe wearing down of fulerumed at 55 on the frame of the machine.

The bar 50 is fixed to the two bearing boxes of the gauge roller 28, 29. The free end of lever 54 rests on onearm of a smaller lever 56 fulcrumed at 51 on .the frame of the machine'and the other arm of lever 5li-is arranged to cooperate with a cam 58 onashort-shaft 59. Shaft 59 carries a gear 60 .of the same size as, and .me-shing with, the gear'M-On cam shaft'25 by which the plunger 26 of the marking wheel is operated.

"When the 'gear24 is caused to make one revolution and stop, as above described, a single rotation is imparted by it to gear 60 and cam 58, and the latter acts through lever 56 to lift lever 54, which in turn acts through spring 53 to liftthe gauge and feed roller 28, 29 and its gear 32, until the upward movement of the roller is arrested and limited by the engagement of the wedge-like blocks on the bearing boxes, with the wedge-like abutments 52 on the under side of the slide bar l4. Although the action of the cam 58 and the levers 56 and 54 is positive and constant, the spring 56 constitutes a yielding element in the roller lifting mechanism which permits the roller to be arrested at various elevations according to different adjustments of the abutments 52.

Thus it will be seen that the depression of the trip 2! by the blank as it approaches the skiving mechanism acts both to operate the marking mechanism and to lift the gauge roller of the skiving mechanism before the blank engages the gauge roller so that the forward end of the blank is relieved of this work and the nipping, gouging and deformation of the forward end of the blank are avoided.

It is a desirable feature of the roller lifting mechanism that the lug 6| on bar 50 to which the lower end of the spring 53 is attached is positioned at substantially the center of gravity of the gauge roller 28, 29, and its gear 32 so that the roller tends to move away from the skiving knife substantially equally from end to end without any strong tendency to tilt.

The above described roller lifting mechanism is obviously applicable whether the skiving mechanism is designed for fleshing or for evening.

In Figs. 1 to 4 above described, the skiving mechanism is shown in a form designed for fleshing leather blanks.

Fig. 5 illustrates the roller lifting mechanism applied to an evening mechanism, that is, a skiving mechanism which reduces the blank to a uniform thickness throughout corresponding tothe thickness of its thinnest spot, instead of skiving off a cutting of uniform thickness, as is done in fleshing machine, leaving the original variations of thickness in the blank. In Fig. 5 the gauge and feeding roller 28 has a solid unyielding surface, as is usual in evening machines, and once it has been lifted to the extent limited by the abutments, which have been adjusted to accord with the thinnest spot in the blank, it will not yield farther. The lower blank supporting member is in the form of the usual roller 53, (or it might be in the form of a nonr'otating supporting bar 36 as shown in the fleshing machine) and is supported on the usual springs 64. As thicker parts of the blank pass through the skiving mechanism the lower supporting member 63 yields downwardly and causes thicker cuttings to be skiv-ed off, thus evening the blank down to a uniformthickness throughout corresponding to the thickness of the thinnest spot. The construction and operation of the roller lifting mechanism applied to the evening mechanism is the same as that described in connection with the fleshing mechanism.

I claim:

1. In a machine of the character described, skiving mechanism including a skiving knife, a vertically movable gauge roller and an adjustable abutment to limit the extent of the movement of separation of the gauge roller from the skiving knife, and mechanism controlled by the blank during its passage through the machine to lift the gauge roller to the extent permitted by the abutment before the blank engages the gauge roller.

2. In a machine of the character described, skiving mechanism including a skiving knife, a vertically movable gauge roller and an adjustable abutment to limit the extent of the movement of separation of the gauge roller from the skiving knife, and mechanism including a trip in the path of the blanks and actuated by each passing blank to lift the gauge roller to the extent permitted by the abutment before the blank engages the gauge roller.

3. In a machine of the character described, skiving mechanism including a skiving knife, a vertically movable gauge roller and an adjustable abut-ment to limit the extent of the movement of separation of the gauge roller from the skiving knife, and mechanism controlled by the blank during its passage through the machine to lift the gauge roller to the extent permitted by the abutment before the blank engages the gauge roller, said lifting mechanism including a yielding element adapted to permit the gauge roller to be arrested at various elevations according to different adjustments of the abutment.

4. In a machine of the character described, skiving mechanism including a skiving knife, a vertically movable gauge roller and an adjustable abutment to limit the extent of the movement of separation of the gauge roller from the skiving knife, lifting means to lift the gauge roller to the extent permitted by the abutment before the blank engages the gauge roller, marking means responsive to the detecting means, and a trip in the path of the blanks and actuated by each passing blank adapted to operate both the lifting means and the marking means.

5. In a machine of the character described, skiving mechanism including a gauge feed roller, a skiving knife and a non-rotating supporting bar opposed to the roller and having a smooth surface upon which the blank slides in its movement against the skiving knife, and means to spring the middle of said bar toward the skiving knife to compensate for wear of the bar.

6. In a machine of the character described, skiving mechanism including a gauge feed roller, a skiving knife and a non-rotating supporting bar opposed to the roller and having a smooth surface upon which the blank slides in its movement against the skiving knife, means to adjust the bar toward and from the knife, and means to spring the middle of the bar toward the knife to compensate for wear of the bar.

7. In a machine of the character described, skiving mechanism including a skiving knife, a vertically movable gauge roller and an adjustable abutment to limit the extent of the movement of separation of the gauge roller, from the skiving knife, a non-rotating supporting bar opposed to the gauge roller and having a smooth surface upon which the blank slides in its movement against the skiving knife, and means to spring the middle of the bar toward the knife to compensate for wear of the bar.

8. In a machine of the character described, skiving mechanism including a skiving knife, a vertically movable gauge roller and an adjustable abutment to limit the extent of the movement of separation of the gauge roller from the skiving knife, mechanism controlled by the blank during its passage through the machine to lift the gauge roller to the extent permitted-by the abutment before the blank engages the gauge roller, and a non-rotating supporting bar opposed to the gauge roller and having a smooth surface upon which the blank slides in its movement against the skiving knife.

9. In a machine of the character described, skiving mechanism including a skiving knife, a vertically movable gauge roller and adjustable abutment to limit the extent of the movement of separation of the gauge roller from the skiving knife, a rigid supporting member opposed to the gauge roller, said gauge roller having a cylindrical cover of yielding resilient material, and v mechanism controlled by the blank during its passage through the machine to lift the gauge for feeding the blanks'out of the, machine, and

mechanism including a trip in the path of the blanks and actuated by each passing blankto lift the feed roller before the blank engages the feed roller. 7 V

' JAMES W. JOHNSTON. 

